Multiple typewriter system



Aug. 29, 1933. J. H. POWERS MULTIPLE TYPEWRITER SYSTEM Filed Jan. 30, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet l LINE T I I I I Aug. 29, 1933. J. H. POWERS MULTIPLE TYPEWRITER SYSTEM Filed Jan. 30, 1931 3 Shegts-Sheefc 2 OOOOOOOOOGOOOOOO R mm Aug. 29', 1933. J. H. POWERS MULTIPLE TYPEWRITER SYSTEM Filed Jan. 30, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Aug. 1933 r 1,924,s55 v MULTIPLEVVTYPEWRITER SYSTEM- John Powers, Chicago, 111:, assignor to jRo bert .E. Ward, Chicago','I1l." I

"Application January 30, 1931. Serial No. 512,292

5 claims. 01. 178-33) An object of this/invention is to provide means under the manual control of an operator for simultaneously 1 writing portions of letters or the. like. Thusa typist may place a sheet of note 5 paper in each of the machines to be operated,

address each letter in eachmachine to a different person or firm, and then, with said means in operation, the letter typed on the master type-x writer in the usual way is simultaneously duplicated on the other typewriters which may be of any desired number, as will presently be seen.

The master typewriter preferably produces a letter so'that the typist can see any errors as they occur, and correct them accordingly.

Another object is to provide a number of typewriters under manual control'of a single operator for use in the same vicinity, the operation being either pneumo electric or straight electric," or the like. l j 9 Another 'object'is to provide means for thus operating a series of typewriters at longdistance and over asinglewire, preferably using only a single channel of a multigraphtelegraph system,, such as is disclosed in the United States Patent to Baudot No. 388,244,grantedAugust 21, 1888. l

I'I'heseand'otherobjects, as will be seen, are accomplished byjthis invention which is in the nature of an improvement of theUnited States patent to MacPherson et al. No. 1,777,212, grant-.'

ed September 30, 1930, said present invention being fully described in the following specification andshown in the accompanying drawings, in whichi 1 Figure 1 is a diagrammaticwview showing a system arranged for long. distance transmissionover a single wire, the message being, received,-

and transcribedat thedistant points by series of typewriters; I s s Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation of theplate valvemechanism for pneumatically operating the various typewriters; l ig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section onthe line3ofFig.2; f, 1 s Fig. 4 is a partial longitudinal section on the line4of Fig.3;. f g Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig.2 showing a modified formof plate valve mechanism 'show-. ing, the plates in inoperative position; v Fig. 6 is apar'tial view of Fig. 5" howing one of the plates moved to operative position; 7

"Fig. '7 is an enlarged transverse section on the line'IofFig.6;' 1

Fig.8 is an enlarged perspective view of the a 1 making electrical contact with the strip 26 and the distributor.elementsilfi 19%, etc. The brush 1 typewriters F, 'F',

prises generallya master typewriter A, a dis-, tributor B, electrically connected"theretolby means or a" series of switches, leads, and con} tacts, and a second distributor C connected to the distributor B by meansof a single transmission wire, the distributor C then transmitting, the 5 v message imparted to through a series of wires D, the plate valve. mechanisms E, E, each of which controls a typewriter as F,-F' after the r v mannerdisclosed bythe MacPherson Patent No. 1,777,212., y V Inthe master typewriter A each or the;keys, I whether it represents a character,ajshiftior. the carriage, aspacer key or thelikef, as the key 10 of Fig. 1, is provided witham'etal switch memberll whichis adapted to ,beinovedon'operation.

of the key into electricalengag ement withcontacts 12, 13,1421, Thecontact, 1411s connectedin H series with a battery :15, or other.source 'of electrical energy. The contacts1 2, 113are connected through suit'able leads 1 6, 1,7 with one or, more insulated distributor elements 18,-" 19, 20, 21,22, -23,ofthedistributorB.

Within these contacts lies an arcuate metal strip24 and abrush 25 driven bymeansof a motor inotvshownl}, passes over the strip 24:.and the distributor elements 18,19, etc., and making electrical contacttherewith so as to pass current from the contacts to the strip. The strip'in turn is connected ,tothe-tr'ansmission line 26, and this in turn connects with a similar strip 126 for the distributor C. Thisjdistributor has a brush 25 driven atthe same speed as the distributor brush 7 25, and insynchronism therewith and likewise I byany wellknown means, such as that shownand described in-the patent to Baudot No. 388,244. s

Itwill thus: be seen that on closing the switch 10 an electrical impulse from the battery 15will 7 pass through the leads-16, 17, to the distributor elements 18, 21,and thence through the line 26 to the corresponding distributor elements 18? and V 21 of the distributor C.' These impulses are then carried through the leads'D, to the plate valve mechanisms E, E which controlthe' receiving as will now be described. Referring now-to Figs. 2 to,4, the plate valve 7 mechanism is made up of stationary plates 2'7, 28"

which'are secured together by'means of screws,

25 is kept-inwsynchronism with the brush 25 01 the like 29, and which are maintained a deli nite distance apart by means of spacers 36. Between these stationary plates are located a series of sliding valve plates 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36. Each of these plates 31 to 36 inclusive has a depending arm as 31 (Fig. 3) .which is attachedto the plate 31, and which carries an iron core 31 which lies within a magnet coil 37 which is constantly'actuated by means of a battery or other source of current 38, so that the plate 31 is constantly'urged to the left, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, into contact with the stop 39 which is secured to the stationary plates 2'7, 28 by means of screws 40. I

The depending arm 31 also carries an oppo-,

sitely extending portion which carries an iron core 31 for the magnet coil 41. This coil 41 is connected through one of the leads, D'with its corresponding distributor element .13 so that when the current is sent through the distributor element 18 the shift magnet coil 41 is energized.

This shift coil is stronger than the return magnet coil 37, and on being energized causes the valve, plate'31 to which it is connected to shift to the right until the plate valve .is brought to rest by the stop 42, the other plate valves meantime being held in the normal retracted-positions against the stop 39 by their individual return magnet coils which are constantly energized. All these coils are shown in Fig. 2,v but only one is given nu-' merals, the othersu being identical in construction and operation. The circuit is closed through the ground G, G. 4

The plate 2'7 has aseries of holes drilled there- 1 in, each corresponding to one of the switchesll;

and into each hole is screwed a pipe nipple 43, and each of these is connected by a tube 44 with one of aseries ofpneumatics 45, eachpenumatic operating onejof the keys 46 or other operative Q ,members of thetypewriter F, as is fully shown and described in MacPherson Patent No. 1,7.7'7,212, the. keys etc., of one typewriter being connected to corresponding keys etc..onthe,0ther.

The valve plates-31 to 36 inclusive havea series of holes so arranged as to form a communicating for one, and only one, setting of the valve plates,

all tubes 44 being closed in the normal inoperative position shown inFig. 4. For'example, to open the first tube 44 at the left, the plate 31 is moved to the right so as to. bring the hole 4'? in line with the holes 48 and 49. Likewise the next five tubes 44 44 .eto., are opened to the air at a time the plates 32 to 36. 1

To open tube 44 it is necessary to move simultaneously plates 31 and'32, so asoto bring. holes 50 into registration with holes 51 and 52. By carrying out this system of permutations arid combinations with six plates, more than enough by moving one ,operative units can be provided to operate an, ordinary typewriter, about fifty such tubes or,

units being required. r

7 Thus it will be'understood that when the system is in operation with the brushes 25, 25 running in synchronism, the key representing say the letter at of typewriter A is pressed down, the correspondingaz, keys 46 of typewriter F and 46* of typewriter F". are also pressed down asfollows:

Pressing downjthe key 10 closes the switch .11, 12, ;13, 14, thereby causing current to now from the source to contacts 18 and 21, and as the brush rotatescurrent is passedthrough the transmission line 26, and the strip 24 the contacts 18 and 21 and thence through leads D to the magnet coils 41 and 41 which move both the passage to each, of thenipples 43.

valve plates 31 and 34' (Figs. 2 and 4),:with the result that the tube corresponding to; the letter a:

on the typewriter F is opened to the amosphere.

This tube when closed was under a vacuum maintained by thevacuum pump 53, which is connected to exhaust a manifold 54 and the hollow laterals 55 which carry the pneumatics 56. A

series of chambers 57 are mounted side by side on the lateral 55, one for each pneumatic 56, which is mounted over it, the chamber 57 communicating with the lateral through a bleeder 58 and also with one of the tubes 44. 'With the tube 44 closed 1 a vacuum in thelateral 55'will cause air "in the chamber 5'7 to pass through the bleeder 58 so.

as to -bring the vacuum in chamber to the same value. p e

A flexible diaphragm 59 in the chamber northe lateral and the mally holds a, Valve 60 in'a raised position so as .to close an opening between the lateral 55 and a passage 61 which communicates with the pneu- This passage and pneumatic comand the lateral 55 will be in communication with When'this occurs the air pressure in the chamber 5'7 pressesdown on the flexible diaphragm 59, shifting the valve 60,-closing the opening 62, and at the same time opening communication between the lateral 55 and the pneumatic 56 through the passage 61., The vacuum thus applied to the pneumatic 56 causes it to collapse',.'

thereby drawing down the key46 of the typewriter F through the medium of the arm .63 and the link 64.

They instant the plate valve againcloses,

"thereby breakingcommunication between the tube 44 and the atmospherejthe air pressure within the tube 44'and the chamber 5'7 are bled through the bleeder 53 into the lateral 55 until the chamber and lateral are atsubstantially the same pressure. Thereupon, the diaphragm 59 returns the valve 60 to the raised positionshown thereby uncovering the opening 62 and closing communication between thev lateralandthe passage 61. Air then rushes into the pneumatic 56 causing it to raise to the position shown, and

returning the key 46 to its normal inoperative position. The mechanism of this pneumatic is fully shown anddescribed in the MacPherson patent above referred to. This same action takes place simultaneously in all of the plate valves In Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive is shown a modified form of plate valve mechanism, the rest of the circuit'of Fig. 1 remaining substantially the same. Referring'now to Fig. 7, valveplates 31' to '36 are slidably mounted as before between stationary plates 2'7 and 28', and these are drilled exactly as before as illustrated in Fig. 4.

The mechanism for. operating these plates, how- 7 ever, is different; For example, each plate' is provided with a notch, such as the notch 65' of plate 31', this notch adapted to be engaged by a pawl 66 which is hingedly shown at 67, the'op posite end of this pawl carrying an electrical contact 68 which normally is in engagement with E, E and typewriters F, F which areplaced in the circuit.

a contact 69, the pawl 66 being normally held up so that the contacts 68, 69 are in engagement by means of a spring (not shown).

A solenoid '70 is connected at one side to the pawl 66 which is insulated from its pivot support, while the other end of the solenoid coil is connected to ground G. The contact 69 otherwise insulated is connected through a lead 71 with one of the leadsaD of Fig. 1. Thus it will be seen that to release one of'the plate .members as 31 it is only necessary to pass a current through the lead 71, to the solenoid 70, and

thence to ground. When this occurs the solenoid acting on the pawl 66 as an armature draws it down, thereby disconnecting the pawl 66 from its notch 65 in the valve plate. Thereupon the valve plate so released'is urged forward by means of a spring 72, one spring acting upon each of the valve plates.

Under the action of this spring the valve plate moves forward until it encounters a metal element 73 at the right-hand end of the device (Fig. 5), which is insulated from the frame but which is connected through a wire '74 with a solenoid 75, and this in turn with a battery 76 or other source of electrical energy, the opposite end of the battery being connected to a movable armature 77 which is metaland carries a, contact 78. Thus when the metal plate 31 in its movement to the right makes contact with both the metal elements 73 and 78, it completes a the solenoid 70, the solenoid thereby releases the pawl 66 and itis returned. to its original position by the spring (not shown) so as to be ready to engage the notch when the plates are returned, as has just been described by the solenoid 75. All of this takes place upon the closing of theswitch l1, l-by movement of the key 10 of the master typewriter A. The form shown. in Fig. 2, however, is preferred because of its speedier and more certain action.

In Fig. 9 is shown a much simpler form of system as a whole, and is much better adapted for local use, Whereas the .form shown in Fig. 1

I is adapted for long distance transmission. In

Fig. 9 the mastertypewriter A has a series of switches which are connected directly to the leads D instead of through distributors B, C,- as in From that point on, however, the action Fig. l. of the two systems is'the same.

By pressing ,a given key as 10 on the typewriter A, the same corresponding' keys would be closed on the typewriters E, E.

said about the typewriter keys applies also to the other necessary elements of the typewriter, such as thevarious shifts, the spacer bar, and the mechanism for returning the carriage, all of which are described at length in the patent to MacPhersonpreviously referred to.

It will be understood that the pneumatic plate valves E, E'yand pneumatics, electric switches and solenoids may be substituted. For example, the plates 31 to 36 may be made of insulating material with metal contacts in place of the holes,

so that when a line of these buttons or contacts a is formed instead of a line of holes in the present showing, an electrical impulse is transmitted -thus brought into registration.

2. In a device of the class described, a s'eriesof movable valve plates having holes: adapted to 'mechanism with. each line What has been v f 13 to a solenoid which replacesthepneumatic 56 not possess some of the advantages of the pneu matic, system setforth in the MacPherson'patent supra, Compressed air may also be used instead of a vacuum. g

While. I have shown and describedbut a few embodiments .of my invention, it is tube under fordepressing the key 46. This, however, does I stood that it is capable "of many modifications.

Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed inv the appended claims. I

I claim: I

movable valve plateshaving holes adapted to ment of plates, a solenoid tending to force each noid adapted when energized to iorce the plate in the opposite direction, and means for actuating a difierent mechanism with each line of holes form registering 'series according to the arrangement of plates, a solenoid tending to forceeach 1. In a'deviceof the classdescribed, a series of form registering series according'to the arrangeplate to a normally inoperative position, a soleplate to a normally inoperative position, alsolenoid adaptedf when energized to force the plate in the opposite direction againstthe action of the,

first solenoid, and means for actuating a different Y of holes thus brought into registration.

3. In mechanism of thecharacter described,,a,

master typewriter, means operably connected to the controls thereof for translating movement of the controls into combinations of timed electrical impulses,'a line for transmitting said impulses, a

plurality of solenoids receiving said impulses, a series of valve plates having holes adapted tofform registering series according to the arrangement of and pneumatic means controlled by the register-.-

'in g gof said plates for operating said receiving typewriten *4. In a device ofthe class described, a series of movablevalve plates having holes adapted to form registering series according to the arrangement of plates, a solenoid for each platecontrolling its fsaid plates, said solenoids .moving said plates in response to said impulses, a receiving typewriter,

plate independently of the others, meansilc'ontrolling said solenoids wherebyto move said plates in given combinations, means for restoring said printing mechanisms. connected with said plates whereby each lineof holes thus brought into registration actuates nisms.

plates to a normally inoperative position; and i a difierent one of saidmecha- 5. Ina device of the class described, a series "of movable valve plates having holes adapted to form registeringseries according to'the arrangement plate independently of the others, means control-. ling said solenoids "whereby to move said plates in given combinations, a solenoid device common to all of said plates for restoring said plates to a normally inoperative position, and printing mechanisms connected with said plates whereby each line of holes thus brought into registration actuates a difierent one of said mechanisms.

of plates, a solenoid for each plate controlling its v JOHN H. PoWERsJ I 

